When it comes to Neil Diamond impersonators, Brian LaBlanc is a diamond in the rough.

His spot-on impersonations and recreations of the legendary singer's material have made him a sought-after performer in the Northeast and earned him unabashed praise from Paul Shaffer, the band leader from "The Late Show with David Letterman."

Just in time for Mother's Day, LaBlanc and his band will perform their Neil Diamond tribute show, "Simply Diamond," at the Palace Theatre in Danbury on Saturday, May 11, at 8 p.m.

During the show, LaBlanc will pay tribute to the pop music icon and faithfully recreate Diamond's best-known songs, including "Sweet Caroline," "Love on the Rocks," "Cracklin' Rosie" and "I am ... I said."

The Palace Theatre is at 165 Main St. Tickets are $30 and $25. For more information, call 203-794-9944 or visit www.thepalacedanbury.com.

Zoe will be performing the Mozart E minor sonata for violin and piano; the first movement of "Symphonie Espagnole," by Lalo; Romanian folk dances, by Bartok; "Meditation from Thais," by Massenet; "Scherzo Tarantelle," by Wieniawski; and a piece she composed for violin and piano.

Parking is available in the golf course lot, with handicapped parking in front of the house.

The Richter House is at 100 Aunt Hack Road, Danbury. Admission is by free-will donation. 203-744-2168, www.danbury.org/richter.

Uncork the music

Uncorked, a rock 'n' roll cover band based in New Fairfield, will perform at the Spot in Bethel on Saturday, May 11, starting at 9 p.m.

Since appearing on the local music scene a few years ago, Uncorked has quickly gained a reputation for its high-energy live shows and ability to recreate a diverse range of covers that span from the '50s and '60s to the present.

The worlds of classical music and classic poetry will collide when the Danbury Symphony Orchestra performs on Saturday, May 11, at Ives Concert Hall on Western Connecticut State University's midtown campus.

The 8 p.m. concert is being presented by the Danbury Music Centre, and the orchestra will perform "The Bells," by Rachmaninov. The music will be set to the poetry of the legendary master of the macabre, Edgar Allen Poe.

Rachmaninov considered "The Bells" one of his finest achievements and was disappointed it wasn't performed more frequently.

Want your show to be considered for Backstage Pass? Are you a local artist who wants to be profiled? Send an email with all pertinent information about the band and the gig to Erik Ofgang at least two weeks before the show. Send it to erikofgang@gmail.com for consideration.